Tyler Marshall Keppie, 22, has been accused of trying to smuggle drugs and electronics into the Alexander Maconochie Centre. Photo: Albert McKnight.
An accused smuggler was allegedly spotted while trying to fly contraband – including drugs hidden inside an UP&GO container – into Canberra’s jail via a drone.
As the alleged drone operator has a two-week-old baby, the apparent attempt was, a magistrate later remarked, “pretty stupid”.
ACT Corrective Services contacted police around 5 pm on Sunday (28 September) after a man was allegedly spotted flying a drone near the perimeter fence of the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC), an ACT Policing spokesperson said.
Guards followed the man before he ran along a nature strip next to the Monaro Highway. Police arrested him after a short chase.
A search of his backpack allegedly found a drone controller, spare drone blades, duct tape and other items.
Corrections officers found that a drone had returned to the area where the man was allegedly first spotted near the fence. Police allege this drone was paired with the controller from the backpack.
An UP&GO drink container was attached to the drone that allegedly contained a smart watch, a SIM card, drugs and nicotine patches.
A second similar container was located nearby, allegedly containing drugs, USB memory sticks and nicotine patches.
The man, 22-year-old Tyler Marshall Keppie, was charged with two counts of taking a prohibited thing to a correctional facility, two counts of possessing a prohibited substance and one count of possessing a knife without a reasonable excuse.
The police seized a drone that was allegedly used to try to drop items into the Alexander Maconochie Centre on 28 September 2025. Photo: ACT Policing.
The court heard the drugs he was accused of trying to take into the AMC were 1.8 grams of MDMA and 4 grams of methamphetamine.
Mr Keppie applied for bail, which was opposed by the prosecution. He had to demonstrate that special or exceptional circumstances existed in his case to justify his release, as he already faced unrelated charges.
His lawyer, Manon McPherson of Legal Aid, stated that the special circumstances were that his son had been born earlier in September, and he provided financial, emotional, and household support to his child and partner.
She said any remand in custody would have a significant impact on his family.
Special Magistrate Sean Richter said, after examining previous cases, that the ACT Supreme Court seemed to have a view either way on whether family circumstances could establish special or exceptional circumstances.
He said as Mr Keppie had a newborn baby, allegedly attempting to take drugs into prison was “pretty stupid”.
The special magistrate said the child and Mr Keppie’s partner were young and Mr Keppie was yet to realise how to be a father.
“It’s no longer fun and games, for the next 18 years it’s going to be hard work,” he said.
He granted bail on conditions, including that Mr Keppie live in Belconnen and only leave his home for medical, legal or court purposes.
“Mr Keppie, you’re a lucky man. That could have gone either way,” he told him.
The matter was adjourned to 20 October. No pleas were entered.
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